Swallowtail Waldorf School and Farm

460 S. Heather St

Cornelius, OR 97113

31 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK, K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 25, 2025

My child has attended Swallowtail since 2021. I could not be more pleased with her teacher Ms. Amy and the whole school environment. I am so grateful for the way her teacher knows my daughter's strengths and challenges and how she is helping her grow. Since teachers stay with kids through the grades, they have the opportunity to form a lasting relationship with them and help the children thrive. My daughter is learning so much from the opportunity to be out on the school farm. It's a beautiful place for the school community to gather as well. What I love most is seeing how proud she is when she achieves things like learning to knit in 1st grade. She doesn't even know yet that knitting is actually an activity that's teaching her brain to integrate important skills that help in reading, dexterity and perseverance.
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2025

Our family's experience over the past 3+ years in early childhood (Pre-K & kindergarten, ages 3-6) has been so wonderful for our child. I cannot imagine a more nurturing, enriching or wholesome environment for children today. The Waldorf philosophy structuring a day for kids this age around an "in breath" (more focused time, like crafting or sharing a snack they've prepared together) and "out breath" (outside exploration, free play, etc.) is so regulating for kids, and helps them develop social emotional learning, fine motor and other skills to serve as a basis for a future love of academic learning. The teachers are warm, knowledgeable and truly adept at meeting students where they are. In addition, as our child grows, finding a likeminded community focused on hands-on, screen-free learning is a breath of fresh air. There are many opportunities for families to build community together, which I believe is a critical part of what keeps our kids safe in this time - much as Jonathan Haidt discusses in The Anxious Generation. And while there is always more work to do in any organization to make sure every student and community member truly feels a sense of belonging, particularly when it comes to integrating more traditional Waldorf ideas with reflecting the diversity of its student body and our community, the school is focused on doing the work to build and that capacity. I really believe this education is a vital offering in times that are so charged and challenging for young people and for parents, and I look forward to following the journey through the years to come.
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2024

Swallowtail was not a school that I had initially thought of for my children. After looking around our area, I am so glad we took a tour and took the time to meet with the staff at school. The teachers are wonderful! They provide regular updates on class activities and are always available for 1:1 discussion with parents/families. My children are engaged in school and love it. Swallowtail also has a farm campus that provides a different type of learning environment that the kids love. The smaller class sizes allow for more individual interactions between the teachers and students. There is also a lot of interaction between the grades. My first grader has an 8th grade buddy she absolutely adores. My 5th grader has a 2nd grade buddy that she meets with and reads with. It is such a wonderful environment! I can't imagine my kids anywhere else.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2024

We have been at Swallowtail for a total of 3 years between our two kids. When looking for a school to send our oldest child to, we toured a Catholic private school, met with the public school, and toured Swallowtail. After touring Swallowtail I could not imagine sending my kids to any other school. The classrooms at Swallowtail are all warm and inviting. Each is set up differently based on the collective personality of the class. The kids are still provided a nap/rest time during Kindergarten, which is has been instrumental to a smooth evening time. There are no screens or computers utilized in the Swallowtail learning curriculum, which was very important to our family. It is also part of the agreement to limit screen time with the children during the week. Having a community that approaches technology the same way has made it easy to navigate friendships and play dates. We love the community of friends we have created during our time at Swallowtail. We love the fact that the kids get to be kids at school and not stuffed into overcrowded classrooms and required to sit at a desk and take test to determine their worth. At Swallowtail they are allowed to move, to think, to explore, to try, to practice, and to be outside! We absolutely love the farm campus and the opportunity it provides the kids to learn about our natural world to cultivate a love for mother nature and all that she provides us. Seriously there is nothing better than picking up happy, smiling, laughing kids.
Submitted by other on July 25, 2024

My year at Swallowtail Waldorf School and Farm were some of the best of my life. I enjoyed every year I spent there and I was there from kindergarten until eighth grade. This school teaches you not only everything you need to know to go into High School and beyond but also how to go through life successfully reach your goals. My friends from Swallowtail have continued to be a major part of my life and I can’t imagine my life if I had not gone to Swallowtail.
Submitted by other on July 25, 2024

Swallowtail made me love to learn. I attended this school kindergarten through 8th grade and it completely changed my life. During my time here, I had incredibly supportive teachers, a great community of families, and I made friends who I have stayed very close with ever since. The academics were also very strong, I went into this school with lots of anxiety as well as minor dyslexia and ADHD but left ready to jump into public high school as one of the highest ranking student. I highly recommend this school, it sets students up for success later in life by helping them to form self confidence and motivation, as well as providing a level of care and nurturing for children that just can't be found in other educations.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2024

My children have all thrived at Swallowtail in very different ways. My oldest is quite the artist and we first came to the school for her. She was slower to pick up reading and math and it was great to have teachers who worked with her to help her get to the next level. She graduated a few years ago and because she had always been in the middle of her class at Swallowtail, we were surprised to learn that she tested into advanced math, writing, and Spanish in high school. She earned all As in her high school classes, and qualified for their early college program. My younger two children are still at Swallowtail. They have always been more academically inclined, and their teachers have consistently found ways to keep them challenged. They write very well, love to read, and started algebra in 7th grade. The farm campus is truly incredible, and I am so thankful for the time my children have spent there. They learned about farming and caring for natural spaces, and they just got to be outside in all kinds of weather, running and climbing and exploring freely, as all children should have the chance to do.Most importantly, all of my children have grown into incredible humans. They are kind and empathetic, hard working, and highly capable. They have always felt at home at school, and see themselves as part of a greater community. I think that feeling of safety at school has translated into a sense of self confidence, and a comfort in their interactions with their peers and adults. They are also creative and flexible in their thinking, in a way that sets them apart from most of their peers. The emphasis on hands-on learning at Swallowtail meant that they had to work through answers on their own, so they are comfortable sitting in a place of not knowing and taking the time to solve a problem.Swallowtail School has been a great place for my whole family, and the friendships we have made there will last a lifetime. Since the children stay with the same grades teacher year over year, families have the chance to grow very close to one another and the teachers. My children have kept the same friends for many years, and their is strong support from their teachers and the school counselor to learn positive social skills and to develop high quality relationships with their friends. I can't imagine a better schooling experience for my three children, and whole-heartedly recommend Swallowtail School!
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

I would not recommend this school to any person of color. I would not recommend this school to anyone who is looking for a nurturing and empathetic environment. The leadership has a great effect on the entire wellbeing of the school. It seems that teachers are unable to teach in the ways they want. Something isn’t right. There isn’t joy or a strong sense of community. Aside from what parents are trying to cultivate. I implore anyone who is looking for a Waldorf education to seek one that is accredited and one that is welcoming of all children with all abilities.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2022

Check the book "It Feels Good to Be Yourself" by Theresa Thorn from the library. Read it and decide if you are comfortable with it being in the classroom for use with 4-6 year old children. My kindergarten child can quote it verbatim. Before discovering this we had no idea it was being used at the school. All other materials and curriculum were communicated with transparency. This was not. In depth teaching of gender identity terminology is at odds with the Waldorf philosophy on early childhood development. This school is expensive and not delivering on what is advertised.
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2022

Swallowtail Waldorf School in Cornelius is an excellent school and community. I highly recommend this school. My child has attended Swallowtail for the past 5 years and has LOVED every minute of it! Her teachers have been highly skilled in all areas, including material, approach and classroom management. They also teach with so much heart. My child expresses deep care and love for them constantly. The community has been very warm and inspiring for the parents as well. The education they provide is very well rounded, including outdoor time, handwork, Spanish, singing, artwork, and the standard subjects. I love that they include so much outdoor time and time at their farm campus as well. The lives of our whole family have been deeply enriched by our child attending this school. highly recommended!
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2022

This new Swallowtail is not the one before Covid. New administration brought in woke ideologies and many parents left. I truly wish my child could go back but it’s a totally different school.
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2022

My son attended Swallowtail from 1st-8th grade. I highly recommend it!We came to Swallowtail on the recommendation of the head of our son's private kindergarten. At the time, he was really struggling with school. He would try to run away, would hide in the bathroom, would refuse to participate in class activities, etc. He had no formal diagnosis of any disorders -- he just hated being there. Our kindergarten director cautioned us that if we sent him to a regular public school with 25+ students in the class, he might be labelled a "problem student" and could face a lot of negative experiences. Swallowtail, on the other hand, would have small class sizes and a teacher who stayed with him from year to year. Moreover, they would focus on positive reinforcement rather than punishment to help him learn to love school.After we enrolled, our son's issues did not magically disappear, but the teachers were really dedicated and gave him help from the heart. They communicated with me regularly and worked on forming a bridge between home and school. They gave him a safe place he could retreat to when he was overwhelmed. They helped him learn to describe his own feelings and to regulate his own behavior. Over the years there, our son became a great student and formed close friendships with his classmates. Teachers focused on REAL love of learning at a good (not rushed) pace. Learning to read was done slowly and with care. They learned cursive and how to write beautifully. Most work is in class; there was no homework until around 6th grade. The students did plays, art, and learned science and social studies through hands-on projects. They spent A LOT of time outside on the farm and went on amazing field trips, and they learned to sing and play instruments. School was a good place! My son's teachers allowed him to work ahead of the class in the subjects he liked. Now in high school, he is in the most advanced classes, achieved straight As, joined sports, and got a 5 on his first AP exam. We were very happy with the results of our schooling!All that being said: your experience hinges very much on your specific teacher. We had the same principle teacher from 1st-8th, and she was fantastic. It really makes sense to meet the teachers and decide whether they're a good fit for you. Also, read up on Waldorf philosophy. It's different and IMO better in many ways than standard ed, but it IS different and not for everyone. Visit the school to see if it works for you!
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2022

We came to this school after having an absolute nightmare scenario in public school. We had searched all over and it seemed like everywhere was either religious based or just didn’t fit the needs of our family. We had almost given up when we lucked out and swallowtail had a booth at the Hillsboro farmers market, where we learned all about the school and their approach to learning.It has been 3 years now and I think that we are very fortunate to have found the school. My children come home so happy and have genuine bonds with their teachers.I also find that the community of the school is very welcoming and kind. People are willing to get involved, contribute, and they actually engage with each other. I’ve made several friendships with parents who aren’t even in my children’s classes just by interacting at school events.If you have questions or doubts, I highly recommend just talking to the staff. Waldorf education isn’t exactly your typical education and they’re always happy to talk.
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2022

Swallowtail changed our families life in a positive way. We have two children - a daughter who is now in 4th grade and a son in 7th. Our daughter has been at Swallowtail since 1st grade and has had a lovely experience. Outside of school it is constantly noted that she is an independent thinker, compassionate and creative - all things Swallowtail has helped her develop. Our son is Autistic and we kept him in a public school setting since he did require additional help that we worried Swallowtail couldn’t provide. Then middle school years came and after much debate we moved him to Swallowtail, it has been the best choice we ever made for him. Going into the start of the 6th grade (his first year) his hand writing was unreadable, he didn’t have a single friend, he needed constant breaks from the classroom and public school had truly made him feel inadequate. By the end of his first year at the school he was a completely different child. His hand writing is readable, he’s not taking any breaks from class and he has so many friends!! When he missed a week of school due to illness his teacher reached out and said the children missed him and the classroom wasn’t complete without him! We’ve actually had multiple play dates this summer and I’m crying even thinking about the difference one year made at Swallowtail. Leadership at the school has done an outstanding job, we are very happy with Jessica and Anna who work hard to communicate with families!Swallowtail does have it’s shortfalls, the biggest being diversity. I would love to see a more diverse student population, but I also understand the location of the school impacts this. I truly have nothing but positive things to say about Swallowtail, my only regret is not enrolling my children sooner!
Submitted by parent on July 20, 2022

Unfortunately the school is not understanding or inclusive of Neurodivergent children. Waldorf is a wonderful pedagogical approach to education, even for students with ADHD or Autism. But this school is not equipped and terribly unprepared or possibly unwilling to serve neurodivergent students.
Submitted by parent on July 01, 2022

The teachers are so so so horrible. My child comes home crying every day.
Submitted by parent on July 01, 2022

please don’t ever send your kids here.
Submitted by parent on July 24, 2019

We aren’t sure where these positive reviews came from. There are many issues with the kinder/early childhood program and parents are always openly expressing their discontent. The school that was advertised to us was not the educational experience we received. What a disappointment. Check out Portland Waldorf School if you are seeking a true Waldorf education. We felt like there was a bait and switch with our child’s kindergarten education at Swallowtail.
Submitted by parent on May 29, 2018

We have completed a year of early childhood at Swallowtail and overall it has been great for my child. The teachers are absolutely fantastic, and the curriculum is consistent with everything I know to be true about child development. They truly address whole child learning. The only thing that is tough about this school is that it really requires a big investment of time and money from parents, and I have found it difficult at times to manage that, though I am sure lots of parent investment would be ideal in any school. I also sometimes feel that the children are a bit overprotected, and it could be more culturally balanced in terms of values. For example, in our culture we are very loud and vibrant, and I find Waldorf to place more value on being quieter and earthy. But overall I cannot imagine that any kiddo goes here and has a bad time, and am confident that if anything comes up with my child it will be (and has been) competently and compassionately addressed by the fantastic staff.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2018

Swallowtail is a wonderful school! Instead of spending the day walking from class to class with 4-minute transitions and 30-minute break/lunch, students spend their day in a much more relaxed environment with 30-minute outdoor recess (plus another recess, plus lunch), non-Common Core instruction that leaves plenty of time to enjoy Music, Dance, Art as well as unstructured interactions with peers. Teachers and administration create a stress-free, welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that helped my daughter quickly bounce back to her normal self after a very bad experience at her previous school. We highly recommend this school!